Party leaders from more than 30 Asian countries will gather in
Beijing on September 3-5 to push forward mutual understanding and regional
co-operation, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said
Thursday.
Hosted by the CPC, the third International Conference of Asian Political
Parties (ICAPP) will become an open forum for exchange and dialogue, said Cai
Wu, vice-minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.
It is the first time the CPC has hosted an international political parties'
conference, he said.
All participants, despite their differences in ideologies, will have in-depth
discussions based on mutual respect and forge a bridge for communication and
co-operation between Asian parties, Cai said.
The theme of the conference is "Exchanges, Co-operation, Development," said
Cai. The major topics include "regional security and multilateral co-operation,"
"economic growth and social progress" and "political party building and national
development."
"Such conferences played a unique role in promoting exchanges, increasing
consensus, enhancing mutual understanding and trust between Asian parties,
improving bilateral ties between Asian countries and stimulating regional
co-operation," he said.
"Asian political parties can discuss wide-ranging issues of common concern,
exchange in-depth views to reach consensus through mutual dialogue, and promote
healthy, stable and constant regional co-operation via party co-ordination," Cai
said.
The conference will also offer a chance for the Asian friends to learn more
about the actual situation of China and the CPC, said Wang Jiarui, who is the
minister of Cai's department.
"We hope the conference will help other Asian political parties understand
the CPC's policy and ideas on state governing and China's policy of building a
good neighbourly relationship and partnership with its neighbouring countries,"
Wang said.
The CPC participated in the previous two conferences and made positive
contributions to their success, Cai said, noting CPC leaders, state leaders and
leaders from the eight democratic parties will attend this conference.
Statistics indicated that the CPC has carried out various exchanges and
co-operation with political parties in more than 400 political parties of more
than 140 countries and regions since China's opening-up and reform more than two
decades ago.
"The ICAPP is conformed with the new situation and the CPC's foreign policy,
reflecting the common aspirations of Asian parties as well," he said.
By Thursday, representatives from 83 political parties of 35 Asian countries
have registered to attend the event, Cai said.
The conference also invited party representatives from non-Asian countries
and organizations, such as South Africa and the Socialist International, a
London-based organization of socialist, socialist democratic and labour parties
around the world, to attend the conference as observers, he said.
The CPC attaches great importance to the conference and has specially forged
the organizing committee of the conference, with Zeng Qinghong, member of the
Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and
vice-president of China, as its honorary chairman, and Liu Yunshan, member of
the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and member of the Secretariat
of the CPC Central Committee, as its chairman.
Preparations for the conference have gone smoothly and its scale will exceed
previous ones, Cai said.
The ICAPP was initiated in 2000. The first two conferences were held in the
Philippines and Thailand in September 2000 and November 2002.